Oil-gas generator and burner.



'No. 757,980. PATENTED 19,- 190-4.

J: P. TIRRBLL, DEGD.

w. a. now. ADMINISTRATOR. OIL GAS GENERATOR AND BURNER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 91 1903.

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No. 757,980. PATENTED APR. l9 1904.

J. P. TIRRELL, DEGD.

W. G. ROWE. ADMINISTRATOR.

OIL GAS GENERATOR AND BURNER.

APPLICATION rum) APR. 9, 1902. no IODBL. Q 2 sums-sum a.

Patented April 19, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADMINISTRATOR OF SAID JACOB P. TIRRELL, DECEASED.

OIL-GAS GEN ERATOR AND BURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 757,980, dated April 19, 1904.

Application filed April 9,1903. Serial No.151,738. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB P. TIRRELL, of Boston, in the county of Sulfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil-Gas Generators and Burners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for converting hydrocarbon oil into a gas or vapor and for burning the same under such an arrangement that the burning gas or vapor will furnish the heat required to vaporize the oil.

The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 1 represents a sectional view of parts of the atomizer shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 represents a top plan view of the same, the oil-reservoir and air-forcing apparatus being removed. Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents an enlarged section showing the end portions of the retort. Fig. 4 represents a section on line 4* 4 of Fig. 4. Fig. 5 represents a plan view of an apparatus having two retorts and a different arrangement of burners. Fig. 6 represents a plan view of an apparatus having a superheater through which the gas passes before entering the burners.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, a represents a vaporizing chamber or retort, which is preferably an elongated metal tube, although the retort may be of any desired form. To the retort is connected an oil-distributing pipe Z), which re ceives oil from a suitable conduit 5, communicating with an oil-reservoir c. The oil in the reservoir is subjected to air-pressure to force the oil into the distributing-pipe Z). The distributing-pipe 6 extends a considerable distance into the retort a and is provided within the retort with a number of small oil-outlets 5 which may be small perforations or slits. The oil-distributing pipe Z2 is of considerably smaller diameter than the interior of the retort and is separated from the latter by a space which in this embodiment of my invention is annular. Said space contains a porous refractory oil-distributing filling e, the object of which is to prevent the oil from being forced or dashed in drops or masses by the air-pressure against the internal surface of the retort, the said filling conducting the oil from all the outlets Z1 and presenting it continuously as a film to the internal surface of the retort, so that the vaporization of the oil will be regular and not spasmodic, as would be the case if the oil were forced in drops or masses upon the internal surface of the retort. The said filling is preferably of asbestos and is here shown as a scroll or tube of sheet-asbestos formed to closely fill the annular space within the retort around the oildistributing pipe Z) and to cover the oil-outlets therein.

f represents a gas-delivering pipe, which is connected with the end of the retort opposite the end which receives the oil-pipe 6. Between the gas-pipe f and the oil-pipe b is a refractory strainer or filter g, preferably composed of a loosemass or filling of asbestos fiber inserted in the retort, said strainer or filter preventing the particles of carbon and other foreign matter which may be deposited in the retort from entering the gas-pipe f. The material of the strainer of filter g is supported and prevented from entering the gaspipe f by means of a conical partition h of wire-gauze.

The gas or vapor generated in the retort is conducted by the gas-pipe f to a suitable burner or system of burners, which maybe of any suitable form and arrangement.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 I have shown a series of burners t r1 which are preferably tubular and are connected and arranged in such manner that the gas enters one end of the central burner 95 and passes from the opposite end thereof through a transverse passage or flue a" into the burners The burner i has at one end an air-inlet a, and above this inlet the delivering end of the gas-pipef enters, said pipe being bent backwardly and provided with a contracted nozzle f, arranged to direct the stream of gas into the end of the to direct a stream of ignited vaporized oil burner 71 nearest the gas-delivering end of the retort. The burners are provided in their upper portions with orifices formed as narrow slits i through which the gas issues, the jets of flame caused by the ignition of the gas at some of these slits, preferably those in the central tube z',being directed upwardly against the retort and furnishing the heat required to vaporize the oil therein. The slits are arranged to diverge from each other as shown, so that at least one end of each is in close proximity to an end of one or more of the other slits, so that the gas issuing frond anyslit will be ignited by the burning jets at the other slits. As here shown, some of the slits extend crosswise of the burners while others extend obliquely. This arrangement insures the ignition of the gas at all the slits and reduces the number of slits to the minimum. To prevent the stream of mingled gas and air from passing too rapidly through the burner-tubes, I provide the receiving end of the tube o'with a pressure-distributer 1', Which is preferably composed of a sheet-metal cone provided with longitudinal slots j. The stream of gas and air enters the interior of the cone and is deflected thereby and caused to pass radially into the tube a" through the slits Oil is forced from the reservoir 0 to the oilsupply pipe 6 by means of air-pressure created in the reservoir by any suitable means, such as an air-pump K6.

T0 heat the retort at the commencement'of the operation, I provide an oil-atomizing apparatus adapted to discharge a stream of atomized oil toward the retort, said stream when ignited furnishing sufficient heat to start the process of vaporization in the retort. Said atomizing apparatus comprises an oildelivering nozzle or burner which is arranged against the exterior of the retort a. Said nozzle is connected by pipes m m with an oilreservoir m which receives air under pressure through a pipe m from the reservoir 0. The pipe m is located within the pipe 171/ and extends to the lower part of the reservoir m,

so that it is adapted to conduct oil to the noz-' zle m. The pipe on does not extend below the top of the oil-reservoir, and it conducts air from the upper portion of the reservoir to the nozzle m, the current of air inducing a flow of oil through the pipe m and atomizing the oil as it leaves the nozzle. When the retort has been sufficiently heated, a cock m in the air-pipem is closed, and the discharge of atomized oil from the nozzle m ceases. height of the flame from the burners may be varied by regulating the flow of oil from the reservoir 0 by means of a cock 0 in the pipe b, so that a high or a low flame can be produced.

The described apparatus is adapted to be 7 operated by a relatively light air-pressure in the reservoir 0. I find that good results are The Fig. so that the retort can be readily re.

moved when burned out and a new one substituted for it. Said construction includes the ends or heads 2 3 and the coupling-nuts A 5, screwed into said heads. The oil-pipe 6 passes through the nut 4 and has a shoulder 6 engaged with the inner end of said nut. The gas-pipe f passes through the nut 5 and is engaged with the, inner end thereof by a shoulder 7. When the nuts 4: and 5 are unscrewed, the pipes b and f are detached, and the retort can be readily removed.

In Fig. 5 I show two retorts a a, located side by side, the gas-pipes f f leading therefrom discharging gas into a central burner e. d z" are curved burners connected with the central burner 7;, their outer ends being connected by elbows i The gas passes from the central burner to the inner ends of the curved burners i and from the outer ends of the burners vi to the burners i, as indicated by the arrows. Additional burners 2' 6 may be provided, if desired."

In Fig. 6 I show a gas drier or superheater through which the gas passes from the retort before entering the burners. Said superheater is a tube 8, connected by a pipe 2, with the outlet end of the retort. A pipe 25 delivers the gas fromthe superheater to the burners. In this construction the pipe f, which corresponds to the pipe f, is branched and has two oppositely-extending nozzles t t which deliver streams of gas into opposite ends of a segmental burner 71 6 are burners extending under the retort and superheater. 2' 6 are radial burners extending between the burners 2' and 2'. Air is admitted to the chamber 6 containing the nozzles t I have found that a porous fireproof substance arranged within the retort so as to be saturated by the oil entering the retort and to regulate the flow of the oil to the heated surface of the retort prevents the accumula-- tion of carbon in the retort to a marked degree and gives superior results in generating and supplying a gas adapted to burn with an intense heat. The absence of an accumulation of carbon in the retort is a very important advantage, as it enables the apparatus to be used indefinitely or until the retort is burned out without becoming clogged or having its efliciency impaired.

The intensity of the heat and the height of the flame may be regulated by an oil-regulat-' ing cock 0 in the oil-supply pipe 7), said cock enabling a flame of any desired height to be produced.

The perforated or slitted pipe Z) and the por- ICC ous filling c constitute an efficient means for distributing the oil within the retort a for depriving the oil of the pressure which forces it into the retort and for preventing the accumulation of carbon therein. I wish it to be understood, however, that any other suitable means for accomplishing these results may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

l. The combination of a substantially horizontal retort, means for forcing oil into the retort under pressure, an oil-distributing pipe having outlets within the retort, a closelypacked porous refractory filling covering said outlets and preventing the free flow of oil therefrom, said filling being in contact with the inner surface of the retort and preventing the accumulation of oil and the formation of carbon on said surface, and a burner which receives gas from the retort and heats the latter.

2. A kerosenegas generator and burner comprising a substantially horizontal retort, an oil-distributing pipe within the retort, said pipe being provided with oil-outlets and separated by a space from the heated surface of the retort, a refractory porous filling covering said outlets and closely packed in the said space, said filling bearing closely against the external surface of the distributing-pipe and against the internal surface of the retort, whereby the. oil is presented in a thin film to the heated surface of'the retort and is prevented from accumulating and flowing upon said surface, means for supplying the distributingpipe with oil under pressure, and a burner which receives gas from the retort.

3. A kerosene-gas generator and burner comprising a substantially horizontal elongated tubular retort, an oil-distributing pipe within the retort, said pipe being provided with oil-outlets and surrounded by a space within the retort, a refractory porous filling covering said outlets and closely packed in the space between the distributing-pipe and the retort, an oil-supply pipe detachably connected with one end of the retort and provided with a regulating-cock, a gas-delivering pipe detachably connected with the other end of the retort, and a burner communicating with the gas-delivery pipe.

4. In a kerosene-gas generator and burner, a substantially horizontal elongated tubular retort having means at its opposite ends for detachable connection with an oil-supply pipe and with a gas-delivery pipe, an oil-distributing pipe attached to the retort independently of the oil-supply pipe and extending a portion of the length of the retort, the retort and distributing-pipe being detachable fromthe supply-pipe, a refractory porous filling closely packed in the space between the retort and the distributing-pipe and covering the oiloutlets in the latter, and a loose refractory filter interposed between the inner end of the oil-distributing pipe and the gas-delivering end of the retort.

5. A burner-tube having parallel slits or gasoutlets extending transversely to the length of the tube, and intermediate slits alternately inclined in opposite directions.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB P. TIRRELL.

Witnesses:

(3. F, BROWN, E. BA'roHnLDER; 

